2019 Jaguar E-Pace Review

Intro
The Jaguar E-Pace is the second SUV produced by JLR (Jaguar Land Rover). Jaguar has enjoyed great success with its first SUV: the mid-size F-Pace. In Canada, the F-Pace outsold the rest of the Jaguar lineup combined. It is a similar story in the USA. Seeing how the market is embracing the SUV car format, the Jaguar has launched the E-Pace to capture the growing subcompact luxury crossover market.

Thanks to Jaguar Canada, I had the chance to test drive the 2019 Jaguar E-Pace P250 AWD for a week. Below is my unbiased review.Exterior
Although the exterior of the E-Pace bears many similarities with its handsome cousin the F-Pace, the E-Pace is actually built on a modified version of the same platform as the Range Rover Evoque. The platform utilizes aluminum and ultra high strength steel to create a stiff, but yet light structure.

The front fascia shares the signature Jaguar center grille, and five additional lower grilles for a muscular, sporty look. The LED headlight is quite different from that of the F-Pace. It is taller and more squared to accommodate for the narrower body.

The side profile has clean, curvy design that features a high waist line and prominent wheel arcs. The high rear wheel arc seamlessly transitions into the rear lift gate lip. With the slender LED tail lights and integrated twin tail pipes, the rear view of the E-pace is modern, clean, and classy.

I very much enjoy the external design of the E-Pace. Although it shares many of the design features as the F-Pace, it is still uniquely stylish on its own. The overall impression is a clean, sporty look that enjoys a sense of timelessness.

Interior
The interior of the E-Pace would look very familiar to anyone who has been in a modern Jaguar vehicle. The thick steering wheel, the stylized instrument cluster hood, the large round dials in the center console, and even the passenger side center grab handle are all part of the driver-centric design that is uniquely Jaguar.

Sculpted aluminum accent trims and stitched leather surfaces gives the interior a sense of class. My only complaint would be the excess use of hard plastics in our basic trim tester cabin. The leather seats are plush and comfortable, and the front visibility from the driver seat is excellent. The rear view suffers from the small rear windshield, but it is not horrible.

The rear cabin space is slightly below average for a subcompact SUV. The rear legroom is only adequate and the rear headroom suffers. Rear passengers do enjoy a dedicated air vent with a power socket. There is also a fold-down center armrest with an integrated storage compartment.

Infotainment
The 2019 Jaguar E-Pace is equipped with a 10" touchscreen infotainment system. I am not a fan of the home screen graphic design, but the rest of the interface is slick-looking. For the most part, the system response is snappier than other Jaguar I have test driven. However, we do experience some input delays at times. Apple Carplay and Android Auto are optional, but the in-car navigation system does a decent job.

There is an information LCD screen in between the dials in the instrument counsel. This display provides real time driving information as well as vehicle status.

Safety and Driver Assistance
The E-Pace has multiple standard driver assists. They include:

Automated Emergency Braking

Front and rear parking sensors

Lane Keep Assist

The following features are available as upgrades:

360 camera view

Adaptive Cruise Control with stop and go technology

Self Parking Assist

The 2019 E-Pace has yet to be crash tested at the time of writing.

Driving
The 2019 Jaguar E-Pace is powered by a 2.0L turbocharged engine that is available in P250 (246 hp / 269 lb-ft.), and P300 (296 hp / 295 lb-ft.). Both of versions are paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission and standard AWD. In normal mode, there is a noticeable lag between pushing the accelerator down and feeling the kick, but the engine provides plenty of fun when driven hard. This is especially true when the car is switched to S mode.

Jaguar has done a fantastic job to offer impressive handing for the E-Pace. The steering is light and precision. The body roll is kept at bay in the corners. And the ride quality is extremely good even on rougher roads. I test drove the E-Pace through some light snow, and the AWD system coupled with the Goodyear Eagle AT F1 tires kept the car under control at all times.

Cargo Space & Storage
While the rear cabin is slightly cramped, the trunk cargo space is above average. There is 685L of cargo space behind the second row seats, and 1493L of space when the seats are folded. The cargo space is also nicely organized with elastic meshed side pockets and elastic bands to keep smaller items in position.

In cabin storage options are also above average. The center console storage compartment is large and deep. The side door pockets are on the larger side. There is an additional storage compartment in the rear fold-down arm rest, and there is a small storage slot under the rear center air vent.

Verdict
The 2019 Jaguar E-Pace is an expensive looking car that offers good performance and ride quality for the price. Although like all JLR vehicles, the optional packages quickly raise the total price, the base trim still offers tremendous value. The rear cabin can be slightly cramped, but the large trunk gives the E-Pace good versatility. I have no doubt that the 2019 E-Pace is going to be another great success for Jaguar.